Welcome to Syzygy, the premier gathering of
sci-fi readers in the Dayton area!

Syzygy is a diverse collection of SF lovers from around Dayton who
meet monthly to explore a new book selection in the genial,
inquisitive company of fellow fans. It started in August of 2005
and has met every month since.

New member FAQ

Absolutely nothing! The only cost to you is the price of the
books, if you choose to buy them. If you check them out of a
public library, you can read for free.

2.

Will you sell my e-mail address to
spambots?

We dont even want
your e-mail address! Just show up at a
meeting.

3.

Where and when does the group
meet?

Our meetings take place in the
Kettering-Moraine Public Library, 3496 Far
Hills Avenue, in Kettering; between Stroop Rd. and Dorothy Lane.
(See map below.) We normally meet at 7:00 pm on the
second Wednesday of the month. This can
change with holiday closings, or the opportunity for author
signings, so it is good to stay in touch with our
fearless leader.

4.

Who picks the books you
read?

The members themselves pick out
future readings in a dignified and egalitarian process,
sometimes involving paper airplanes and lots of shouting
:-}. Really, if you have a good idea, just bring it to a
meeting.

Current reading list

A intern discovers an object entering the solar system on a
trajectory that will take it to Saturn. Since it is
decelerating, scientists conclude it is under power and
targetting the gas giant. The US hastily assembles a team
to pilot a ship and make first contact with this spacefaring
civilization. In short order they find themselves in a race
with a Chinese ship.

Physicist Nathan Wexler has discovered a technology with which he can
send things back in time by a fraction of a second. While he considers
his invention useless, Nathan and his fiancée quickly discover it
has put both their lives in danger. Seasoned SF author Richards sheds new
light on a much-explored topic.

A new ensign aboard Universal Union Capital Ship Intrepid is proud
of his new assignment, until he starts to notice that on every away mission
somone gets killed within the first 5 minutes, and that someone is always
wearing a red shirt. (Fans of Star Trek will identify with this intuitively.)
He schemes with his cohorts to stay out of the sight of the officers who
lead away teams, only to discover a secret about the Intrepid that
alters their view of the universe. Veterans of Agent to the Stars
will recognize Scalzi's wacky sense of humor.

In a radical policy shift, the club will read an anthology this month
instead of the usual novel. And this collection has the best works of all
the giants of the genre: Asimov, Clarke, & Wells, as well as outstanding
newcomers like Ted Chiang and Cixin Liu. For May we will read the first 19
stories ("The Star" through "Surface Tension").

A survey mission to a neutron star intercepts a message in an unknown
language. They leave behind several satellites in hopes of tracking the
signal back to its source. Five years later the satellites deliver and a
new probe is launched, under the leadership of Captain Priscilla "Hutch"
Hutchins (who also led the mission to Deepsix). The search follows clues
from planet to planet until they stumble upon an alien artifact (named
'Chindi' after a native American spirit).

Chindi is the 3rd book of the Academy series (Deepsix was the 2nd),
a category I: loosely-coupled series.

In 2030 the world population has doubled, oil is running out, and Big Brother
governments are watching everybody. John Grant has discovered a revolutionary
technology that can provide the world with unlimited energy--which gets him
branded as a traitor--and on the 'most wanted' list of his own country. Hamid
Tabriz wants Grant's patent, using an implantable chip that allows him to
control someone else's mind.

The same book we read from in May. This time we read from "Beyond Lies the
Wub" through "Plentitude".

Our meeting place

Syzygy meets on the second Wednesday of the month at the
Kettering-Moraine Public Library, 3496 Far
Hills Avenue, in Kettering; between Stroop Rd. and Dorothy Lane.
Meeting night
and/or location can change with holiday closings or author
signings, so it is good to stay in touch with our
fearless leader.
Meetings start at
7:00 pm and last around an hour.

Readers' resources (How to get the books)

Essentially, you can buy or borrow your
books. If you choose to buy them you can shop among assorted
on-line booksellers:

Links of
interest to SF lovers

Search the world wide web for "science
fiction" and you will get lots of hits:
primarily about TV shows, movies, gaming, or
conventions. All the SF links in this section are
targetted at people who like books.
Many of the names don't tell you much about the
services they offer, so we've tried to arrange
them by service.